B. P. 1.—546. 
FRUIT GROWING FOR HOME USE IN THE CENTRAL 
AND SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS.’ 
LOCATION OF THE REGION UNDER DISCUSSION. 
The geographical position of the Great Plains is indicated by the 
map shown in figure 1. This map was first used in the Yearbook of 
the Department of Agriculture for 1907 in connection with an article 
by Prof. E. C. Chilcott, of this Bureau, entitled “ Dry-Land Farming 
in the Great Plains Area”’. The eastern boundary of the Great Plains 
from an agricultural standpoint is considered somewhat arbitrarily 
to be the ninety-eighth meridian. The western boundary is likewise 
assumed to be the 5,000-foot contour. It extends south as far as the 
thirty-second parallel of latitude and north to the Canadian line. 
For the purposes of the present discussion, western Kansas and 
eastern Colorado comprise the section referred to as the central Great 
Plains; western Oklahoma, the Panhandle of Texas, and eastern New 
Mexico constitute the southern portion. 
In this connection it should be stated that between the 5,000-foot 
contour and the Rocky Mountains there are points which have an ele- 
vation exceeding 5,000 feet, where fruit is grown with some success 
without irrigation. In fact, two of the most successful nonirrigated 
orchards in eastern Colorado are considerably above this elevation. 
One of these is near Littleton, with an elevation of about 5,350 feet; 
the other, near Parker, with an altitude of nearly 6,000 feet. 
a In the rapid settlement of the semiarid region, the matter of home building is a 
very important feature of the development that isin progress. A good supply of fruit 
may be made to contribute very materially to this end and add greatly to the well- 
being of the family. During the summer of 1909 a considerable number of representa- 
tive iruit gardens and orchards in eastern Colorado, western Kansas, and the Panhandle 
of Texas were visited by Mr. H. P. Gould, Pomologist in Charge of Fruit District Inves- 
tigations, for the purpose of studying conditions, varieties, methods, etc., and witha 
view to making the information thus obtained available for the benefit of the large 
number of new settlers who are rapidly coming to these sections to make homes. 
This paper is largely an account of the methods that appear to be best suited to the 
climatic and other conditions in this region and which thus far have given promising 
results, supplemented by such suggestions as the investigations of the writer have 
called forth. A. F. Woops, Acting Chief of Bureau. 
[Cir. 51] 3 
